{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart358.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart358.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart358.htm","text":"CHAPTER V\nHow King Arthur shewed the stone hoving on the water to\nGalahad, and how he drew out the sword.\nTHE queen heard thereof, and came after with many\nladies, and shewed them the stone where it hoved on the\nwater. Sir, said the king unto Sir Galahad, here is a great\nmarvel as ever I saw, and right good knights have assayed\nand failed. Sir, said Galahad, that is no marvel, for this\nadventure is not theirs but mine; and for the surety of\nthis sword I brought none with me, for here by my side\nhangeth the scabbard. And anon he laid his hand on the\nsword, and lightly drew it out of the stone, and put it in\nthe sheath, and said unto the king: Now it goeth better\nthan it did aforehand. Sir, said the king, a shield God\nshall send you. Now have I that sword that sometime\nwas the good knight's, Balin le Savage, and he was a\npassing good man of his hands; and with this sword he\nslew his brother Balan, and that was great pity, for he was\na good knight, and either slew other through a dolorous\nstroke that Balin gave unto my grandfather King Pelles,\nthe which is not yet whole, nor not shall be till I heal\nhim.\nTherewith the king and all espied where came riding\ndown the river a lady on a white palfrey toward them.\nThen she saluted the king and the queen, and asked if\nthat Sir Launcelot was there. And then he answered\nhimself: I am here, fair lady. Then she said all with\nweeping: How your great doing is changed sith this day\nin the morn. Damosel, why say you so? said Launcelot.\nI say you sooth, said the damosel, for ye were this day the\nbest knight of the world, but who should say so now, he\nshould be a liar, for there is now one better than ye, and\nwell it is proved by the adventures of the sword whereto\nye durst not set to your hand; and that is the change\nand leaving of your name. Wherefore I make unto you\na remembrance, that ye shall not ween from henceforth\nthat ye be the best knight of the world. As touching\nunto that, said Launcelot, I know well I was never the\nbest. Yes, said the damosel, that were ye, and are yet, of\nany sinful man of the world. And, Sir king, Nacien, the\nhermit, sendeth thee word, that thee shall befall the\ngreatest worship that ever befell king in Britain; and I\nsay you wherefore, for this day the Sangreal appeared in\nthy house and fed thee and all thy fellowship of the\nRound Table. So she departed and went that same way\nthat she came.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIII CHAPTER V","type":"page"}